3pt4 Regular Working Mutant
by Lamby
Summary: Gambit is broke. Skint. Bankrupt. Penniless. The X-Men convince him to get a job, but can he resist falling back into his criminal ways?
1. Chapter 1

**Regular Working Mutant**

#Gambit is broke. Skint. Bankrupt. Penniless. The X-Men convince him to get a job, but can he resist falling back into his criminal ways?#

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, nada, zip.

**Scene 01**

"Bobby! Give that back!"

"Chill Magma, I'm just borrowin' it…"

"Bobbieeeeeeeee!" Whoosh! Iceman suddenly regretted stealing Amara's new MP4 player as a fireball fizzed past his left ear. He felt the heat on his face as it passed him, heading towards the front door. Just before the fireball hit the glass, the door swung open and someone just outside had to duck. Bobby used the momentary distraction to dive past the newcomer and disappear out into the grounds. Magma was not impressed, shoving the newcomer out of the way and charging after Iceman with a look of thunder on her face.

"What is going on out here?" Storm asked, coming into the foyer. In the doorway, Gambit gave a shrug. He'd nearly been singed by hot magma and mown down by two teenage tearaways, which about figured given the day he was having. There really was never a dull moment living at the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters…

Before he answered Storm, Gambit somehow put his shoulder to the door and wrangled his way over the threshold. Storm gasped to see the Cajun ex-Acolyte struggling with an assortment of large, multicoloured shopping bags. Gambit saw the expression on Storm's face and gave a wry, humourless smile.

"When Blaze shops," he told her, "she shops."

On cue, Gambit's girlfriend Blaze made her entrance. She waltzed through the door in heeled shoe-boots, wearing a pleated tulip skirt and matching top in shades of baby blue. Stopping by Gambit, she pushed her overlarge sunglasses onto her head to rest amidst her mane of long red curls. There was a small designer bag hanging from her right arm, whilst her left hand carried a fruit smoothie in a clear plastic cup.

"Good day?" Storm asked with a chuckle, making Blaze smile.

"Great day," the English girl beamed. She didn't get any further as suddenly Tabitha and Kitty appeared at the top of the staircase. Kitty gave a squeak and yelped, "You're back!"

"You get anything for us?" Boom Boom asked, leading the charge down to the foyer.

"Maybe," said Blaze. "Give us a hand with the bags?"

Kitty and Tabby did not need any encouragement. Gambit braced himself as the three girls swarmed round him, taking the shopping. Blaze stood on her tiptoes to kiss Gambit's stubbly cheek, whispered "love ya," and then the girls were gone. Gambit found he had been holding his breath, and let it out with a sigh.

"Long day," he told Storm in answer to her earlier question, "dis boy need a stiff drink."

"Coffee?" Storm offered, taking Gambit by the arm and leading him towards the kitchen.

"Sounds good Chere," Remy agreed. "You gotta tell me, is it normal for a guy's feet to hurt like dis after ten hours in the mall?"

"I'm afraid so," Ororo said. "Take a seat Remy, you look exhausted!" Gambit did as he was told, collapsing into a chair melodramatically and dropping his head to rest on his arms on the table. Then, just as sensationally, he lurched upright again and pulled his moth-eaten wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. Sitting down once more, he opened the wallet and peered inside distrustfully. A single green banknote looked back at him. Gambit removed it from the wallet and smoothed it flat on the table. Ten dollars. All the money he had left in the world in one lousy note.

"Hey thanks Gambit," Kurt bamfed in from nowhere and snatched the ten bucks up off the table. "I thought you'd forgotten about the money you owed me." Then he was gone again, leaving a cloud of grey smoke where he had teleported. Gambit put his elbows on the table and buried his head in his hands. He was broke, penniless, destitute, and he had no idea what to do about it…

Roll titles…………………………………………………


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, nada, zip.

**Scene 02**

"Who died Gumbo?" Logan asked, mooching into the kitchen and stealing a soda.

"Unfortunately no-one," Gambit replied. "I could use some inheritance."

"Broke huh?" Logan was unsympathetic, "that'll teach ya to go shopping." He opened his soda, releasing a hiss of gas.

"It taught me not to go shopping with Blaze…" Gambit muttered unkindly.

"Uh-huh," Storm was sceptical as she placed a steaming cup of sweet, black coffee in front of the Cajun. "Of course it has nothing to do with the fact that Blaze's last boyfriend was a certain wealthy individual by the name of Warren Worthington the Third. You wouldn't be trying to compete at all, would you Remy?"

Of course he was trying to complete with Angel, and the whole mess wasn't made any easier by the fact that Warren was now dating Gambit's ex, Rogue. The same Rogue who two days earlier had come home wearing a brand new designer jacket and the exact pair of $200 boots Blaze had been drooling over for weeks. Blaze had declared she didn't want the boots after all, but Remy knew she was lying. Hence the extravagant shopping trip today, the meal at a luxurious restaurant the night before, and the concert tickets he'd got stashed in his room to surprise her with later.

"You're spoilin' that girl," Logan interrupted Gambit's train of thought, "mark my words, it'll come back to haunt you."

"T'anks for the support Logan," Gambit drawled sarcastically. Looking up at Storm he said, "I jus' wanna make her happy."

"She is," Ororo replied, "but not because you're spending money on her." Logan made a funny noise like a suppressed laugh. Ororo glared at him and then turned back to Remy. "Have you tried explaining to Blaze that you just can't afford to carry on like this?"

"Don't get me wrong Storm," Gambit said. "You know I adore Blaze, but you saw her today. She lappin' it up comin' home with all that stuff and the other girls droolin' over it. She's the queen of superficial, she ain't never gonna understand that I'm broke."

"The way I see it," said Logan, "you got two choices. Dump Blaze," Gambit looked suitably horrified, "or get a job."

"A job?" Gambit looked even more appalled at this idea.

"That's a wonderful idea," Storm approved. "You'd be setting an excellent example to the students as well as making some money. I'm sure the Professor will approve and let you reduce your training schedule so you can work as well."

"Not to mention if you're in work Blaze can't spend your money," Logan pointed out pragmatically. "Here," he tossed Gambit a copy of that morning's paper that had been on the counter. "Good luck Gumbo, you're gonna need it."

Storm and Wolverine left the room as Gambit opened the paper up to the 'Help Wanted' section. The thought crossed his mind that there were other ways to make money, ways that his experience and qualifications made him rather good at. Gambit shook his head and forced himself to dismiss the idea. He had come so far from the old days in New Orleans. He didn't want to go back to being a criminal.

Did he?

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Gambit soon found out that getting a job was not as easy as just deciding he needed one. There were application forms and curriculum vitae to consider, and that was just to get an interview. Fortunately, he knew just the creative genius to write _something_ to get a foot in the door. Raising his hand, Remy rapped three times on Kitty's bedroom door and then let himself in.

"What d'you mean, you need me to write you a CV?" Kitty was sitting at her desk with her homework spread out all around her. Gambit crossed the room and perched on her bed. "I have, like, five assignments due in for school this week. I don't have time to write you a CV."

"I'll make it worth your while," Remy promised.

"How?" Kitty was not convinced. Gambit hesitated for a moment, but then produced the two concert tickets he'd been saving. Kitty saw the band name and made a lurch to grab the tickets, but Gambit yanked them back out of her reach.

"Two conditions," he said. "One, you get the tickets if the CV you're gonna write me gets me a job."

"No problem," Kitty agreed urgently, eyes fixed on the tickets.

"Two, you give Blaze the second ticket."

"Absolutely," Kitty agreed. Gambit put the tickets away, despite Shadowcat's crestfallen expression.

"You can have them afterI get a job," Remy promised, "now how about that CV?"

"Ok," Shadowcat grabbed a purple-covered notebook and opened it to a fresh page. Taking a fuzzy pink pen, she tucked her feet up under her and put the pen to paper. "So, like, what qualifications have you got?"

"I gotta night school degree in charm, wit an' style…" Kitty had been writing down what he was saying, but once it became clear he was joking, she stopped and glared at him.

"Be serious!"

"I am," Remy admitted. "I never graduated high school Kitty, you know dat."

"What about previous jobs, work experience, that kind of thing?" Kitty asked, sucking the end of her pen thoughtfully. Gambit just looked at her. Snapping out of it, Kitty remembered whom she was talking to. "Oh yeah, the whole crime-family-gang-acolyte-thing… Forget I asked."

"Can you do anyt'ing?" Gambit was starting to get worried. He hadn't expected this to be so hard. Kitty didn't like the look of desperation on her fellow X-Man's face, so she bit her lip and made a decision.

"I'll try."

"You could always jus' lie," Gambit offered as a hint as he got up and left the room.

"Trust me," Kitty said, "I intend to…"

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"It's official," Kitty announced as she arrived at Gambit's room later on. "I am a genius. Hey, what are all you guys doing here?"

"Watchin' my TV," moaned Remy. He unhooked his arm from around Blaze's shoulder, climbed off his bed and stepped carefully over Amara, Roberto and Nightcrawler who were lying on the floor. The other four mutants didn't even blink, their eyes glued to the soccer on Gambit's TV. Brazil, wearing yellow, were playing Argentina who wore blue and white stripes. "Dey been kicked outta every communal room in the mansion, so they decided to come here instead. I wouldn't mind, but dis is the most borin', mind-numbing game o' the most borin' mind-numbing sport I ever…"

"Shush," Magma insisted, whilst Kurt grabbed the TV remote and hit the volume button. The sound of the angry Scottish commentator got considerably louder. Roberto shifted to sit on his haunches so he was closer to the screen. Gambit made a silent plea to Blaze, but she just grinned and shrugged, then turned back to the game. Shaking his head Gambit led Kitty into the corridor where they could hear themselves think. No sooner had to door closed that there was a collective shout of "GOAL!" from the room. Typical, thought Gambit.

"So whatcha got?" Remy asked Kitty.

"It's a complete work of fiction, but I think you can carry it off," Kitty joked, handing him the neatly typed CV. "Well, what d'you think?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, nada, zip.

**A/N:** Far too many of the following interview questions/answers have been drawn from my own experiences!

**Scene 03**

Gambit _loved_ the CV. It was a work of creative brilliance and he told Kitty as much. It didn't lie so much as bend the truth. Making little of his academic qualifications (or lack of), the CV elaborated on Gambit's skills and experience. It said a great deal of the 'voluntary work with disadvantaged teens in the Bayville area'. It mentioned his 'ability to carry out complex mathematical problem solving, mentally and under pressure', which Kitty assured him was just being able to play poker. Gambit sent the CV off to every wanted ad in the paper the same day. To his delight, he got three interviews straight away. It was nice to be wanted and this job hunting was turning out to be easy.

Blaze drove him to his first interview in her open-top sports car. She sat outside reading a trashy novel whilst Gambit, suited and booted, went in to the building. It was an office block in central Bayville, not far from Warren Worthington's company building. As Remy waited in reception, he thought about him and Angel meeting up to 'do lunch' and shuddered. Yeah, and Blaze 'n' Rogue can go get their hair done together and then meet the boys after work… The thought was so bizarre he had to smirk to himself.

He was smirking when the lady from the company came to collect him. It set them off on the wrong foot from the start. The woman baulked at this smirking youth, who obviously wasn't taking the interview seriously. He hadn't even taken his sunglasses off! She herself looked like she had stepped straight out of some management journal. She was poker thin and all of her clothes looked stiff and uncomfortable. Her greying hair was cut in a severe bob and she had a black mole on her left cheek that quivered when she spoke. Her name was Marcia Beedie.

"Thank you for coming in today, Mr LeBeau. The vacancy we have at the moment is for…"

"A telesales person, I know," Gambit was keen to prove he had read the advert. The Beedie woman fought back a scowl and carried on despite the interruption, "A telecommunications executive, based seventy percent of the time here in Bayville and thirty percent of the time out of our office in Ogdenberg."

"Why?"

"'Excuse me?"

"Why it split between two offices?" Gambit asked. "Last I checked, you could ring a number from anywhere in the US and be connected straight through. You don't need to travel to use a phone."

"There are operational reasons," Beedie scoffed, as if the concept was too big for Gambit to understand. "Now, can you tell me what you would do if you had a difficult customer on the line? They want to know something and you don't have the answer to hand."

"Umm," Remy was trying to think what answer she wanted him to give. Did she want initiative or dumb obedience? He gambled on dumb obedience. "I don't know your procedures, but I'd follow that. Speak to my handler. That kinda t'ing."

"Handler?" Beedie looked confused.

"Sorry, manager," Gambit cursed himself for slipping back into thief-speak. No one had managers where he came from, but thieves might have a handler who arranged jobs for them.

"Is that all you would do?" Beedie pressed him, her mole quivering excitedly.

"I might try the internet," Gambit admitted, "Google it."

"Google…" Beedie made a great show of writing down the word on a notepad in front of her. That's either good or bad, thought Remy. He didn't know which. "Anything else?"

"Hang up," Remy joked, but Beedie didn't get it. She put her pen down and stared at him.

"Would you not smile?" Beedie asked.

"Smile?" Remy looked at her like she had grown antlers. "I'm on the 'phone, remember?"

"It has been scientifically proven," Beedie told him in a high-and-mighty tone, "that callers know when their telecommunications executive…"

"Telesales person," Gambit interrupted.

"Is smiling and enjoying their work. It makes them much more open to compromise."

"Lady if I wanted to enjoy my work, d'you t'ink I'd be applying to a call centre? I just want the money." Gambit stood up, pushing back his chair and turning his back on the woman. "I'll show myself out."

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"So?" Blaze asked as Gambit got into the car. He shook his head.

"They wanted me to work away thirty percent of the time. I ain't leavin' Bayville."

"Coz you'd miss me?" Blaze pressed with a smile.

"Yeah," said Gambit, although it had been his own bed he'd been thinking of missing. "Next interview please Chere…"

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The next interview was with a courier company. The premise was a run-down industrial unit by the docks. It couldn't have been further removed from the glossy office of the previous company. The owner was obviously aware that his company's building wasn't great, so he took Gambit to a bar across the road for his interview. The man's name was Terence, Tezza, and he had a handlebar moustache and plenty of tattoos. As he and Gambit crossed the car park to the bar, Tezza realised something was missing. He risked a glance back towards Blaze's car and then asked, "You gotta bike, doncha?"

"Yeah," Gambit replied, "I gotta motorcycle. My girlfriend jus' wanted to give me a ride."

"Sweet," Tezza said solemnly. He pushed open the door to the bar. There was absolutely no one inside, apart from one ugly barmaid and a fat tabby cat that was washing itself on one of the tables. Tezza nodded at the barmaid but didn't order any drinks. He sat at a scruffy booth and waited for Gambit to join him. "So," Tezza said. It wasn't really the opening question that Gambit had been anticipating.

"So?" Remy echoed.

"You ever delivered parcels before?"

"Once or twice," Gambit smiled to himself, remembering one or two illegal packages he'd passed on. "Not for a while though."

"Yeah, you been working with kids right?" Gambit nodded. "Don't blame you for wanting out," Tezza continued, "kids today don't know they're born."

"Its voluntary work," Remy was keen to point out. "I need to get paid."

"Don't we all, man, don't we all…" Tezza gazed wistfully into the distance. Realising he was supposed to be conducting an interview he cleared his throat to continue. "You ain't from Bayville, are you?" Gambit confirmed he was not. You're not here to judge, he told himself, even if this guy is an imbecile. "How long you been here?" Gambit told him, but that just made Tezza frown. The courier boss pulled a stained and torn copy of Remy's CV from a pocket. "Says here you only worked at that Institute for the last few months… What were you doing before then?"

"Odd jobs," Remy was vague. "Not'ing special. Cash in hand, dat type of thing." Tezza smiled, sensing a kindred spirit.

"We gotta lot of that on our books. I think you'll fit right in. How's your local knowledge?"

"Try me," said Gambit, hoping the Professor wouldn't disapprove too much, as this guy was obviously crooked.

"Crown Plaza Hotel to East Broadway and Thirty-Fourth, what route would you take?" Gambit thought for a moment, then gave an answer. Tezza looked horrified. "Man, you can't go that way, that's right past Bayville Police Department…"

"What are you tryin' to say Ami?" Gambit was already getting out of his seat.

"Err, nothing, nothing…"

"If I wanted to make money illegally, friend, the last t'ing on my list would be runnin' errands for a mediocre fixer like you," Gambit told Tezza flatly. "You can keep your job."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, nada, zip.

**Scene 04**

"No good?" Blaze asked when Gambit came back looking grumpy.

"Low level criminal errand running," Gambit explained. "Done enough o' dat growin' up, don't wanna start again."

"You've got one more left," Blaze consoled him, "Talbot's Cleaning Company."

"Uh-huh," Gambit agreed reluctantly. "Let's go."

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Peter Talbot of Talbot's Cleaning Company seemed to Gambit to be extraordinarily keen to please. Surely, thought Remy, that should be my job? Peter took Remy through a small but pleasant reception to a windowless office where his cleaning manager Maria was waiting. Both parties shook Remy's hand and invited him to sit down. Peter poured everyone a glass of water. The whole thing was much less of an interview, more a conversation about Gambit's expectations. It was very odd.

They wanted to know what Remy expected from the job. When he answered honestly that it was all about money they seemed quite happy. There was, they said, one particular cleaning job with an 'unsocial hours' bonus. It was night work, five nights a week, but with possible overtime some weekends.

"Nights I've worked before," Gambit replied with a smile. "Jus' no early mornings, non?" Peter and Maria laughed politely. Everything was friendly and relaxed. They seemed keen for Gambit to sign a contract straight away. Remy almost had to fend them off, asking, "What will I be cleaning?" Peter and Maria exchanged a look. Gambit knew that look. It was a look of shared defeat. They knew now he'd asked, he'd never sign. Intrigued, Gambit asked if he could go and see the place. Reluctantly Maria agreed to take him.

Blaze watched in obvious confusion as Gambit left the office with some other woman and got into another car. Then she shook her head and went back to reading her trashy French book. Maria took Gambit to an industrial estate filled with soulless modern factories. She drove right up to one, dodging a speeding fork lift truck, and then escorted Gambit inside. Signing them both in, she gave Gambit a fetching set of white wellington boots, a hair net and a lab coat. When they were both changed into this strange gear, they had to wash their hands before they could cross over into the factory proper.

It was a fish processing plant. Once through the foyer the noise of large pieces of fish-dicing and slicing machines drowned out all conversation. It stank. Gambit could feel the smell soaking into him like water into a sponge. There seemed to be hundreds of people working there, all dressed in the same white get-up. It was dripping wet, as water was used constantly to sluice fish guts from the machines onto the floor. The boots kept Gambit's feet dry, but they did nothing to stop him from skidding on the slick floor and fish entrails. It was revolting.

Gambit nodded politely as Maria explained, using mostly sign-language, that he would be here at night after the dicing shift had finished. He would have to clean everything of fish guts ready for the next day. Ok, fish guts might not have been the exact words she used, but Remy got the gist. Then they left the factory and went back to the office in Maria's car. The whole way back, Gambit could smell nothing but fish. He swore there and then he would never eat sushi again. He said goodbye to Maria in the parking lot, shaking her hand and promising to be in touch. They both knew he would be doing nothing of the sort.

"Eugh!" Blaze actually held her nose when Gambit got into her car. "No offense, but if you make my car smell of fish you can buy me a new one…"

"With what?" Remy asked her pointedly. "I got no qualifications an' no experience. There ain't a job in Bayville for me. Not a legal one anyway."

"Don't think like that," Blaze encouraged him, squeezing his hand in hers. "It's not like you to give up so easily."

"Fine, but I ain't cleaning up fish guts for no one."

"Fine," Blaze agreed. "Would it make you feel better if I bought you a grande, upside-down caramel macchiato with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles on top?

"Is dat a coffee?" Gambit wondered aloud.

"I think it was once," Blaze confirmed. "Now it's a taste sensation!"

"Alright," Remy said. "Whatever Cherie, drive on…"

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Blaze's favourite coffee shop was in the Bayville Mall, on the upper tier. She liked to sit out on the concourse on a big brown leather sofa and watch the shoppers. The owner, Fabio, knew Blaze by name and she knew his menu off by heart. Whilst she went and ordered the coffee, Gambit went to the restroom to try and wash some of the fish smell away. By the time he got back, two grande, upside-down caramel macchiato with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles on top were waiting. Blaze had even splashed out on a large slice of apple pie each as well. Gambit collapsed in the seat opposite her and pulled a face at the stuff on the table.

"You come here so often, why ain't you the size of a whale?" he asked his girlfriend insensitively. Fortunately Blaze had a sense of humour.

"Oh I'll burn it all off somehow," she replied with a wink. Gambit took his sunglasses off and leant back, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes. Never mind a job, he needed a vacation.

"Blaze, this is great," Fabio said as he left the shop to come over to them. Gambit looked up to see the barista had his nose buried in a sheaf of paper. A sudden jolt went through Gambit as he realised that the papers were his CV. "This is exactly the kind of CV we are always looking for. Math skills, experience in service industries, even the volunteer work…" he looked at Gambit, "When can you start?"

"What?" Remy stuttered. "Wait, don't you need to ask me anyt'ing? What about references or…"

"Is he ok?" Fabio asked Blaze, who blushed and replied, "I kinda like him." Fabio laughed and said that was good enough for him. "Hold out your hands," Fabio told Remy. Gambit did as he was told. "Clean nails. That's a good sign. You can start tomorrow. I'll train you myself. Cash in hand with tips at the end of the week, and as an added bonus you will be able to make the best coffee this side of Europe. Good enough?"

"I'm a mutant…" Gambit tried to think of any reason why they wouldn't want to hire him.

"So?" Fabio replied. "Most of my best customers are mutants, or hadn't you noticed?" Blaze chuckled. "I'll see you tomorrow at 9am. Wear comfortable shoes, you'll be busy. Oh and enjoy your coffee!"

Gambit just sat back in his seat and looked completely bewildered. Blaze swapped seats to sit next to him and looped her arm through his.

"Am I finally good for something?" she asked coyly, nibbling his ear lobe.

"Chere, you're too good to dis boy..."

"So you'll let me use your staff discount?"

Gambit laughed, put his arm round her and kissed her fully. He had a job!


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, nada, zip.

**Scene 05**

He didn't just have a job, Gambit was now a barista. It opened up a whole new world to him of roasts, half-caf and soya milk that he had never thought previously existed. There was organic, fair-trade and frappucchinos, tall, grande and venti. It was mind boggling. He'd made a cappuccino rather than a latte three times before he got it. Still it was a job, it was legal and there were no fish guts in sight. Keeping concentrated by thinking about his wages, somehow he soldiered on. He would master the art of a triple espresso con panna if it killed him!

The X-Kids loved it. They were suddenly at the coffee shop every night after school. They'd only let Gambit serve them and they insisted on dreaming up the most bizarre drinks they could just to test him. Only once was he fooled by a drink that didn't actually exist, thanks to Jubilee, but after that he was wise to them. If they ordered something made up, they got a bottle of water and nothing else. It wasn't like they needed the caffeine.

He got paid at the end of the week and blew it all on some more comfortable boots. His feet were killing him by the end of his shift. How the girls who worked in the shop survived in heels he would never know. His new colleagues were lovely. Most of the customers were too, with some obvious exceptions.

Pyro and his weedy friend Shrew were semi-regulars. Pyro would drink espresso until he was bouncing off the walls. Shrew would have a hot chocolate and sit holding it in his two hands like he was trying to fend off frostbite. They made Gambit uncomfortable and suspicious. They weren't here for the drinks, he was sure. They would sit with bits of paper on the table between them, taking cryptic phone calls on Pyro's cell phone and scribbling notes in a little book. The third time they came in for this Gambit went over to confront them about it.

"You guys keepin' busy?" Remy asked, making a show of wiping the table next to Magneto's cronies.

"What's it to you?" Pyro asked, sitting with one arm hanging over the back of his chair. It was weird to see the Aussie out of his garish yellow uniform, but he wore civvies when he came to the mall.

"You're takin' up a table, homme. Whatcha up too?" Gambit leant over to read some of the papers. He caught the words "Pizzazz!" and "database", before Shrew squirreled the paperwork off the table and into his lap. "You're plannin' a break in from a coffee shop?" Remy almost laughed. "Are you stupid? Anyone could see what you're up to."

"You don't know that's what we're doing," Pyro griped, folding his arms.

"Pizzazz! is Pizzazz! Entertainment, who own just about every media company in Bayville. Database must mean information they have that someone else wants. I know what you're doin' John."

"You don't know nothing," Pyro protested, but it was a lie. Maybe he and Shrew weren't the criminal masterminds they thought they were. "Err… D'you want in mate?"

"I'll pass," said Gambit, flicking the cloth he'd been using over his shoulder and wiping his hands on his fetching red apron. "Get the Hell outta my coffee shop, now."

There must have been something in the tone of his voice, because Shrew made a squeaking noise and darted for the exit. Pyro stood up and thought about facing off with Gambit. Remy just glared at him until the Aussie thought better of it and left as well. Gambit rolled his eyes and set about clearing the table after them.

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That afternoon, Gambit was back behind the counter serving an elderly lady her earl grey tea when someone new walked in. The first thing he was aware of was the silhouette against the open shop front and the mezzanine outside. The second thing was a woman's voice talking very loudly into a cell phone. The accent was Cajun and the voice one he knew. Gambit nearly dropped the tea all over his customer. Somehow he recovered his cool before his ex got to the counter.

"One moment Chere, I gotta order a coffee," the blonde woman said into her phone. She looked straight over Gambit's head at the menu board. "Grande-de-caf-Americano-extra-hot-soya-milk-vanilla-crème to go. So what d'you mean, you can't find volunteers? Its TV, everyone wants to be on TV…"

Gambit bit his lip and started to make the drink. She hadn't recognised him, or even looked at him. Remy looked his ex over whilst steaming the soya milk. Belladonna had braided her long blonde hair into a zillion braids, and her cowboy boot heels clipped on the floor as she talked animatedly into her cell. There was a Bayville Lite ID card on a lace round her neck, which was one of the TV channels owned by Pizzazz! Entertainment.

"I don't care what excuse dey got, I gotta fill that slot… Fine… Well I will. No, Cherie, I didn't mean it like that. I'll find some volunteers. Sure. Au revoir." Belle ended the call and turned to take her wallet out of her designer bag. "How much?"

"Four fifty," Gambit told her. "Plus tip."

"Excuse me?" Belle looked up at him, disgusted. Who was this, this latte-monkey who had the cheek to ask her for a tip? "Remy!"

"Belle," Gambit acknowledged her solemnly. "You look good Chere."

"T'anks," Belle replied, shellshocked. She didn't return the compliment. "You… you work here?" Gambit nodded. Belle took a look over her shoulder and then leaned towards the counter. "It a mark, right? You're casin' it for an assignment?"

"Non," Remy told her, "dis my job, Belle. I gone straight."

"Oh!" Belle exclaimed. "Bien. I mean dat Gambit, good for you." She was so patronising, looking at him with such pity, that Remy wished the floor would open up and swallow him. "I have too of course…"

"So I see," Remy replied, "Bayville Lite. You on TV Cherie?"

"Oh no! I make TV, I'm a producer." Belle's cell phone rang again and she instantly went to answer it. "I gotta take dis, but it's been fun Chere. You keep up the good work, okay?" She grabbed the coffee and disappeared out of the shop, already back on the phone. Gambit took a deep breath, holding it for a second before exhaling. His eyes followed Belle until she disappeared. Damn. He'd not felt that small since he was six years old. She had looked good though, his childhood sweetheart. She had looked good…


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, nada, zip.

**A/N:** In answer to the question I know you are all thinking, yes I do drink a lot of coffee!

**Scene 06**

"Hey Blaze!" Tabby pounced on the redhead in the rec. room, accompanied by Kitty. Blaze had been reclining on the sofa reading her book. Berserker was in the corner, lying on the floor with his homework. "Bayville Lite are doing a live broadcast in the mall tonight, you wanna go down and see what's happening?"

"It'll be great," insisted Kitty. "There are acrobats and fire eaters…"

"Fire eaters?" Blaze looked sceptical.

"There's live music and dancing," wheedled Tabby. "Not to mention a gunge tank! Come on B, it'll be fun. Wanda's coming. You'll be the only one who's not there."

"I…" Blaze started, just as the front door thudded out in the foyer. Tabby rolled her eyes, understanding immediately.

"Never mind, that'll be lover-boy Gambit. Forget we asked." Tabby linked arms with Kitty and they left the room, looking Gambit over as he came in.

"How was work?" Blaze asked Remy as he collapsed onto the sofa next to her. He leant back in the seat and closed his eyes. Blaze twisted round to face him, her feet tucked under her. She nervously pushed a strand of her hair back behind her ear as Gambit blanked her. "I thought maybe we could watch a DVD tonight, or…"

"I'm tired," Remy told her.

"Oh, ok," Blaze looked crestfallen. "D'you want me to run you a bath maybe?"

"Not especially." Gambit was brusque, still not opening his eyes.

"Are you hungry, shall I order pizza?"

"Do you ever t'ink about anyt'ing but your stomach?"

Blaze looked like Gambit had slapped her in the face. Her big brown eyes dilated and filled with tears. She got up off the sofa and looked down at Gambit. Berserker put down his textbook and watched the couple. Blaze took a moment to get herself under control before she replied.

"That's not fair Rem,"

"Life's not fair," Gambit told her grumpily. "Ain't my fault."

"Fine then," Blaze retorted. She walked from the room calling, "Tabs, I changed my mind! I'm coming with you."

Gambit opened his eyes and reached for the TV remote. He saw Berserker watching him and scowled.

"Somet'ing you wanna say?"

"Yeah," Ray said. "The hottest chick in Bayville wanted to stay home on Friday night so she could hang out with you, and you just blew her off."

"You got designs on my girl, Ray?"

"You carry on like that," Berserker replied pragmatically. "She ain't gonna be your girl much longer." He got to his feet and followed Blaze out of the room. Gambit heard him shout, "Hey girls, wait up!" The front door banged and everything went quiet. Peace at last, thought Gambit as he turned on the TV and tuned in to some basketball. The wage packet in his back pocket didn't seem to be making him feel better. It's Bella's fault, he told himself. It's all Bella's fault…

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Ooh," Boom Boom said, "this is amazing…"

"Lets see," commented Kitty, surveying the scene in the mall, "bright lights, loud music, and performers in costumes... You're, like, so easily pleased Boom Boom. Do me a favour and don't ever go to Vegas, I don't think you could handle it!"

"Prrph," Tabby dismissed Kitty's warning with a flick of her be-jangled wrist. "That's Vegas, this is our mall. This place has never looked this amazing!"

Tabby was right. It had been a transformation for the mall. Lighting rigs hung from the roof, casting multicoloured, pulsating beams across the two floors in time with pounding pop music. The pop band danced around on a temporary stage in the centre of the concourse, accompanied by backing dancers. Acrobats swung on trapezes in the roof space, and all manner of circus performers mingled with the crowd. The mall was rammed with people of all ages, all having fun and dancing along. TV cameras were positioned around the stage and on the mezzanine level, capturing the events and broadcasting them across Bayville.

"I shouldn't be here," Blaze muttered to herself as she looked up at all the TV cameras. She swallowed hard, wondering whether anyone was watching who could identify her from her old life as a thief. Berserker saw the worry on her face and reached out to gently touch her arm with his hand. "You ok B?"

"Don't you start," Blaze chastised him with a smile. "It's bad enough Tabby can't manage a name that is five letters long, without everyone else copying her."

"Sorry Blaze," Ray grinned. "You wanna go on in, or we gonna hang in the doorway all night?"

"Ray's totally right," Kitty agreed. "I'm like, getting frostbite stood here."

"There's Wanda," Tabby yelped, taking Blaze by the wrist and dragging her over the threshold. Kitty and Berserker followed, forcing their way through the crowd to where Magneto's daughter stood. "Hey Wanda!"

"Hey yourself," Wanda told Tabby, but there was a smile on the Scarlet Witch's face. "Glad you could make it. The rumour is they're gonna gunge Mayor Kelly next."

"Awesome!" Kitty exclaimed, "C'mon guys, lets get closer to the stage."

"Aww I wanna see Blaze take on some fire-eaters," moaned Boom Boom. Tabby looked longingly at where one man in African tribal dress was blowing three foot high flames into the air, surrounded by an applauding crowd.

"I'm not eating any fire," Blaze told Tabby, dragging the girl towards the stage where Mayor Kelly was being introduced to the crowd. "It wouldn't be a fair contest and besides I'm not even that hungry."

"First time for everything," Ray chirped, earning him a punch on the arm from Kitty in Blaze's defence.

"I said _that_ hungry," Blaze clarified, "I could murder a tray of chips n' gravy, but I don't think anywhere round here sells them…"


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, nada, zip.

**Scene 07**

At Blaze's words a man who had previously had his back to the teens as he watched the fire-eater spun round. The X-Men had passed through the crowd and he could only just see their backs disappearing into the sea of people. The young man followed, using his muscular frame to push his way forward. He had short blond hair, a natural tan and wore surfer-style clothes. He sidestepped a mother with a hyperactive child and then dodged the Blob who was coming back through the crowd the other way. Finally he caught up with the X-Men and Wanda. He reached out, catching Blaze by the hand and calling her name, "Blaze?"

Blaze felt someone touch her hand and heard her name. She spun round, frowning, but the frown turned to a huge grin as soon as she saw who it was. The redhead cried out, "Zack!" She practically leapt into his arms and he spun her round like a child. Gently he put her feet back on the floor and she hugged him briefly, laughing.

"What are you doing here?" the British girl asked him.

"What d'you mean, what am I doing here?" her friend asked her back in an accent the watching X-Men didn't recognise. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here you dolt! How long have you been in town?"

"Arrived yesterday, they called me over to help with a case. What do you mean you live here?"

"Just outside town," Blaze told him. "There's this place, an Institute, which takes in people like me."

"An Institute," Zack replied sceptically. "That takes in people like you… Like Arkham Asylum or something? I knew you were bad Blaze, but I didn't think you quite made it to criminally insane."

"Yeah yeah," Blaze laughed. "You cops wouldn't know criminally insane if it jumped up and bit you."

"Face it Blaze, you only make it as far as kleptomaniac in the insanity stakes…"

"Ahem," Shadowcat interrupted, "Blaze, are you gonna like, introduce us or something?"

Blaze looked abashed and apologised for her complete lack of manners. She introduced her friends in turn and then told them the stranger was Lance Hozack, affectionately known as Zack, of Cape Town in South Africa. "He's also a cop but don't let that put you off. He is really fairly normal."

"Her words not mine," Officer Hozack replied with a chuckle. "What is normal anyway?"

"You're friends with a cop?" Berserker wanted to know. "I thought you were a thief?"

"I swear I never knew she was a criminal Your Honour," Zack held up his hands to protest his innocence.

"Much," chuckled Blaze. "I was in Cape Town for a job just before I met Ilehana. Zack was supposed to be arresting me, but he's a pretty poor excuse for a law enforcement officer and never got round to it." She turned back to Zack, "Yet now you tell me Bayville PD has called you in for work? Are Scotland Yard and the FBI and Officer Wiggam all off on a jolly this week?"

"Obviously," Zack was nonplussed. "It's a guy I was pinning down back home, he's up and moved to Bayville so the PD here said I could come over and help nail the scumbag."

"Anyone we know?" Kitty asked, liking Zack's sense of humour and his sparkling eyes.

"Let's just say he has an interest in tonight's broadcast," Zack replied. "I could get in trouble for telling you guys even that."

"Mayor Kelly?" Berserker offered hopefully. At that very moment a tank of green slime was opened over Mayor Kelly's head and everyone in the crowd cheered. Berserker, Kitty, Wanda and Boom Boom all turned to try and get a view of the former principal covered in gunge. Zack shook his head. Then he asked Blaze quietly, "How's business?"

"Actually, I'm retired," Blaze told him. "Not bad for eighteen, do you think?"

"You're serious?"

"Completely," Blaze laughed. "Seriously Zack, I work at the Institute. I help train kids with mutant abilities to control their powers. Bit like this ugly lot I'm out with tonight." Boom Boom was the only one to have heard her. She blew a raspberry in Blaze's direction at the insult, making both Blaze and Zack laugh. A radio hooked to Zack's waist made a crackling noise. Zack winced, but Blaze was sympathetic. "You'd better get back to work."

"Yeah…" Zack bit his lip and then asked, "Since I'm in town and you've gone straight, maybe we could, y'know, go out sometime?"

"I'm sorry Zack," Blaze said quietly. "I'm seeing someone."

"Oh," said Zack. "Is it…serious?"

"I dunno," Blaze smiled coyly. "I think it could be, maybe." Zack's radio crackled again.

"Alright," Zack sighed. "I really got to go. This guy of yours gives you any problems, you call me ok?"

"Ok," Blaze said. "I will."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Gambit must have fallen asleep in front of the basketball, because the next thing he knew the TV had been turned off and the rec. room was in darkness. Someone, probably Storm, had covered him over with a blanket. He was stiff from head to foot from sleeping on the couch, but he didn't think that was what had woken him up. There was a light on out in the foyer and the sound of people trying to move quietly.

"Ahem," the voice was Professor Xavier's and he did not sound pleased. "It may be a Friday night, or rather Saturday morning, but curfew was four hours ago. I hope you have a good explanation."

"I'm sorry Professor," it was Blaze who spoke. "It's my fault. I talked Shadowcat, Berserker and Boom Boom into staying out."

"Indeed," Xavier replied judgmentally. "Alright, off to bed you three. Don't forget to set your alarms. You all have a training session with Wolverine at 7am this morning."

There was a chorus of groans and the sound of three pairs of feet ascending the stairs begrudgingly. Gambit pushed back the blanket and rose from the sofa. Silently he crossed to the open door so he could hear the conversation between Blaze and the Professor.

"Don't make them do Logan's session, Professor, please?" Blaze begged. "It really was my fault."

"That's not the kind of example I need my instructors to set, Blaze. I hope you understand that."

"I do, I swear," Blaze promised. "It won't happen again. I just…"

"Yes?" encouraged Xavier. "Blaze, is something wrong?"

"I… I know Gambit needs to work, I do. And he's working so hard, he's exhausted. But he's being so… so difficult. I just feel guilty, I got him the job and it's making him miserable. I don't know what to do. We fought tonight, and I just had to get out of here. I… I'm not explaining very well, am I?"

"It's alright Blaze," Xavier took the English girl's hand. His voice was sincere as he comforted her. "Why don't you go get some rest? Everything will be better in the morning."

"You promise?" Blaze sniffed.

"I do," Xavier assured her. "Go on. Good night."

"Good night Professor."


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, nada, zip.

**Scene 08**

"Gambit," Xavier addressed the X-Man who was skulking behind the door. "Is there something you want to say to me?" Gambit stepped round the door and glanced up the stairs. "It's alright, Blaze can't hear you."

"She's right," Gambit told the Professor. "I'm jus' tired, dat's all."

"Is it?" the psychic asked. Gambit steeled himself.

"Sure Professor. Still I nearly back in the black now, non? Another few weeks an' I can jack all dis work t'ing in. Then everyt'ing will be better."

"If you are sure," Xavier did not seem convinced.

"I am," Gambit told him earnestly. "I'm sorry I took it out on Blaze, she don't deserve it."

"No," Xavier agreed, "she doesn't. Still I am not the person you should be saying that to." The Professor turned his wheelchair and headed back to his study. "Goodnight Gambit."

"Night Professor," Remy replied. He waited until Xavier's door had closed. Then he ascended the stairs to the girls' landing. Blaze's door was closed but he could hear her moving about inside. He rapped once then entered before she could reply.

Blaze jumped when Gambit knocked on the door. She was sat on the edge of her bed, taking out her earrings for the night. She had kicked off her shoes and pulled back the sheets but got no further. When Gambit came in she froze, certain that something bad must be about to happen. Remy came and sat besides her but he didn't look at her. Instead he put his elbows on his knees and looked down at the carpet. He's gonna dump me, Blaze thought. He's breaking up with me. She choked on a sob but made herself continue to take her second pair of earrings out, even though her hands were shaking.

When Blaze sobbed, even though it was quickly choked back, Remy suddenly felt guilty. He reached over and took her shaking hand, prising the earring from her fingers and setting it on the night stand. He realised he'd bought her those earrings. Had he lost sight of why he'd taken this job in the first place? To make sure he was the boyfriend Blaze deserved. What had he been thinking? Her eyes were full of tears as he looked at her and he couldn't help himself.

"Je suis désolé," he told her quickly. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have been so hard on you tonight, Chere. It ain't your fault I'm tired all the time. It's the job I swear, but…"

"It's not just that you're tired and grouchy," Blaze interrupted, upset. "I miss you Rem. I miss hanging out with you all day now you're at work. I miss training with you. I hate training with Logan, it's no fun, and Ilehana is just as bad. I miss cooking lunch with you and dodging chores whilst the kids are at school, and I miss…"

Whatever else she missed, she didn't get chance to say as Gambit kissed her. She surrendered completely to it, swooning against him like some Victorian heroine. Gambit broke the kiss to assure her.

"Dis won't be forever, I swear Cherie. A little bit longer, that's all I need. Then I can jack the job in and everyt'ing will be back the way it was. Better, because I'll be able to treat you like you should be. Laura I swear, I don't wanna lose you..."

"You won't," Laura, Blaze, swore. "I'll be right here Remy, I promise."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

His mind was made up and Gambit wasted no time in acting on his decision. The very next day he was back at the mall but he had no intention of turning in for his shift at the coffee shop. He had a rough idea where his target would be. He headed to the lower levels of the mall. He held the door to the fast food restaurant open as a gaggle of early morning customers left, clutching greasy breakfasts and bad coffee in polystyrene cups.

"Careful wit' dat, one too many o' those an' your taste buds will dissolve."

Bella Donna gave Gambit an evil look, before recognising him and making a hasty escape. She didn't say anything. She didn't need to. A professional coffee drinker given her previous order, she'd obviously been avoiding the coffee chop. Or rather she was avoiding Gambit, like she was ashamed to know him. Gambit felt suddenly cold inside. He didn't blame her. These days he was ashamed to know himself too.

He went directly to the red vinyl-coated booth and the melamine table where his targets were settling in for the morning. Pyro lazily poured salt from a shaker into the sugar bowl. Shrew was diligently arranging all their amassed intelligence in neat rows. Before either of them knew what was happening, Gambit had slid into the vacant seat and was turning the intel round so he could read it.

"Dat's ambitious boys," Gambit decreed at last, leaning back in the booth and draping an arm along the back of the seat. "Too ambitious for the likes of you…" He looked straight at Pyro and asked, "So what am I gettin' paid?"

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Now dis, Gambit thought with relish, was a job. This one night was going to solve all his problems. He'd have cash to splash, Bella Donna would respect him and he could jack in the slave labour at the coffee shop. Blaze was bound to be thrilled to have her beau back. Even Wolverine would have to be pleased, he'd be able to terrorise Remy in the Danger Room again and call it 'training'. Gambit chucked at the thought.

"What are you laughing at?" Shrew snapped. The weedy mutant was nervous, compulsively wiping sweat from his brow with his shirt sleeve. They were waiting in the back of a clapped-out van Pyro and Remy had 'borrowed' for the occasion.

"Not'ing," Gambit shrugged. "Dis is gonna be a piece of cake, dat's all."

"I wish it was all over already," said Shrew. "Where's Pyro got to?" Gambit was about to reply when the cab door opened and Pyro climbed into the driver's seat. He had a carton of Chinese food in his hand and was busily shovelling noodles into his mouth. The smell of chow mien wafted through the vehicle, tantalising. Shrew's nose twitched as he took a good sniff, "umm, that smells good."

"Mrrf, mmphf, mrrphf," said Pyro, nodding his head. He gesticulated with his chop sticks and then carried on eating.

"Nice of you to bring us all some," Remy pointed out dryly. "Where'd you get it from ami?"

"Just over the road," the Aussie pointed to a restaurant across the piazza in which they were parked. "Get your own." Shrew started towards the door, clearly thinking with his stomach. Gambit grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the van. Releasing Shrew, Gambit leant between the two front seats and looked across the square.

"You mean right under the CCTV cameras, next to the parked cop car?" Remy snapped. He gave Pyro a forceful clip round the back of the head with an open hand. Pyro nearly dropped his noodles. "Idiot! You put us all at risk."

"I never did nothing mate," Pyro objected. "All I did was buy noodles." He put the empty carton down on the passenger seat and started the engine. "Let's get this show on the road, shall we?" Gambit and Shrew didn't get chance to respond as Pyro floored the accelerator pedal and the van lurched forwards. The Cajun and his weedy colleague were thrown backward into the belly of the van. The two cops in the patrol vehicle watched the van leave and then went back to their own take-out.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, nada, zip.

**Scene 09**

Pyro parked the van in a secluded alley, round the corner from the leafy piazza with its trendy restaurants. A single inferior street light flickered indecisively above them as the three mutants climbed down from the van. Shrew stole to the end of the alley and stood guard in case anyone came down the street beyond. Pyro and Gambit quickly conferred over the architectural plan they had spread over the van's bonnet. Roughly sizing up the flank of the adjacent building, Gambit estimated what was needed and Pyro deferred to his expertise.

Taking four playing cards from his trench coat, Gambit called on his ability. The alley lit up with a warm glow as the cards became explosively charged. Pyro hid behind the van, putting his fingers in his ears. Gambit ignored him, flinging the four cards quite precisely to hit the wall in a neat square. There was a loud bang, and then the wall crumbled. Dust flew up as masonry collapsed, leaving a neat doorway just wide enough for the three to walk abreast.

As the dust settled the three mutants stepped into the building. The room beyond was a store room, stacked high with boxes. Nothing worth stealing here, but they knew that. This was just the way in. Gambit had memorised the directions from this point on. Through the door, down the hall, disable the CCTV camera on the corner and bypass the pressure sensors in the floor, through the double doors, up to the mezzanine, Pyro had the codes for the computer system, and then…

Don't get cocky, Remy chastised himself. He stepped clear of the rubble and walked silently across to the doorway. The explosion had been loud; it seemed to still be ringing in his ears. Someone must have heard it, despite their timing. The security teams were all in a handover meeting in another building on the complex. They only did this once a night, and then only briefly. Remy had reckoned on a ten minute window to get what they wanted and get out. He'd thought that would be plenty of time. But with cops round the corner and that explosion still reverberating, Gambit had to recalculate.

He reached the door first, opening it so Shrew could check the coast was clear. His remarkable sense of smell was an asset. Shrew gave the thumbs up, so Pyro stepped past and let rip with some flames to light the way. One playing card was enough to take out the camera, whilst an attachment to Gambit's staff fired a grappling hook into the ceiling. Gambit gave the attached rope a tug, then took a running jump and swung himself over the pressure sensors. He passed the rope back to Pyro, who followed. Shrew gulped, flailed at the rope, then caught it and attempted to copy the other two. The first time he forgot to let go and swung right back again. Gambit winced as Shrew's trailing foot brushed the pressure mat. Nothing happened and Shrew tried again. This time Pyro grabbed his feet, tugging him to the ground. They were clear.

The double doors swung open dramatically. Pyro took the steps to the mezzanine three at a time. Gambit stood back, expecting Pyro to log on to the mainframe and start downloading information to a thumb drive or something. He didn't expect what happened next. Pyro reached the main hard drive configuration, grabbed a blade and yanked it clean of the frame! Gambit nearly cried out, but Pyro was already jogging back down the stairs.

"Let's go!" shouted the Aussie, hugging the drive to his chest. Shrew held open the doors and then followed Pyro back into the corridor. Throughout the building alarms started to sound. Gambit, shocked and appalled by Pyro's lack of thought, ran after his companions. Ahead of him Pyro and Shrew ran over the pressure mat, ignoring the rope that still dangled there. Gambit had to sprint to catch up. The three mutants went back into the store room, heady with the thrill. All around them bells were ringing, but now they could feel the fresh air on their faces and they were nearly away…

Only then did a bright light almost blind them, and someone official shouted "FREEZE!"

It was then that the bottom fell out from Gambit's world, and he wished the ground would swallow him up.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Kitty and Blaze were in the kitchen bright and early. The mansion was just waking up and because it was Saturday it was a much calmer Institute than on a school day. The rec. room TV could be heard in the distance. Somewhere upstairs someone had music playing. Multiple was tucking into a bowl of cereal at the kitchen table whilst the girls waited for the kettle to boil.

"You all set for the gig tonight?" Kitty asked Blaze.

"Oh yes," Blaze nodded. "It's gonna be great."

"You're not too upset that Gambit gave me his ticket?" Shadowcat pressed slyly.

"I think I'll survive the disappointment," Blaze chuckled. "He doesn't know what he's missing…"

"You've seen them before?" Kitty wanted to know. "I've, like, tried to get tickets for years but they've always sold out."

"In Cape Town," Blaze admitted. "They played the ICC whilst I was there."

"Oh yeah, did Zack take you?"

"Maybe," Blaze admitted, stirring a cup of tea with a teaspoon and adding a large dollop of milk. Kitty saw an opening and went for it.

"Did you know him for long? I mean before you left South Africa, went to Paris and met Ilehana?"

"That's none of your business."

"Of course not," Kitty rolled her eyes. "So have you seen him at all since we met him at the mall?"

"No," Blaze replied truthfully. She turned on Kitty and pointed at her with the end of the spoon. "I know what you're thinking Kitty and you'd better drop it."

"You don't know what I'm thinking," laughed Kitty, leading her friend from the kitchen. Blaze carried her tea cup and saucer in both her hands. They headed down the hall, across the foyer and into the rec. room where Berserker had on the local news channel, BDN. Kurt was there helping a reluctant Boom Boom with her geography homework. Storm sat in a comfortable chair by the window reading a gardening magazine.

"You're thinking that I dated Zack in Cape Town, and that it must have been pretty serious what with him being a copper. Maybe it was, but that doesn't change anything now." Blaze was adamant. "I have a boyfriend, Kitty. You might even know him. His name's…"

"…Gambit!" Berserker cried out. Everyone turned to look at the TV screen, jaws dropping. On the TV screen, Bayville District News screened a slow-motion replay of Remy, Pyro and Shrew being bundled into a police car. Blaze's cup and saucer slipped from her hands and clattered to the floor, spilling tea and shattering into a thousand tiny pieces…


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, nada, zip.

**Scene 10**

"Yes, I understand." The Professor was on the telephone in his office. Logan lurked in the corner, whilst the Professor's grown-up daughter Ilehana sat nearby. Storm had her arm around Blaze's shoulder. The girl stood stiffly, her arms folded across her chest as she listened to the Professor's words. "Thank you, Officer Hozack. Your help is very much appreciated." The line went dead, and the Professor placed the handset back in its cradle. He looked old and haggard as he turned his wheelchair to face his companions.

"Gambit must have sneaked out late last night without us knowing. They were caught in the act, breaking into Pizzazz! Entertainment's head office here in Bayville. The CCTV is damning. As far as Bayville Police Department is concerned, it's an open and shut case."

"Does he get a phone call?" Logan wanted to know.

"Yes," the Professor nodded. "They are letting him have that now."

Silently, Blaze unfolded her arms and took her cell phone from her pocket. Ducking out from Storm's embrace she stepped forward and placed the cell on the Professor's desk. Then she stepped back. Logan and Ilehana exchanged a glance. Was Blaze saying that she thought Gambit would call her, not the Professor? Or was she worried he might call her when she didn't know what to say to him? Maybe she didn't even want to talk to him…

It didn't matter. When it came to it Gambit knew which side his bread was buttered on and he rang the Professor's office direct. Blaze turned away as the Professor answered. Charles reached out and hit the loudspeaker button so everyone could hear what Remy had to say.

"Professor, I… I'm in some trouble. I need your help."

"I'm not sure what you expect me to do Gambit?"

"I swear, dis jus' all one big misunderstanding. Only t'ing is, de bail…"

"Bail?" The Professor raised an eyebrow. Blaze turned back to see what was happening. Storm reached out and took the redhead's warm hand, squeezing it tight.

"It's thirty thousand dollars. If you can pay it, I swear I will pay it back. Dey got the wrong man, Professor, you gotta believe me…"

"I'm sorry Gambit. I have to think of the example we'd be setting to the students. I'm sure you understand."

"Professor, please!"

"Goodbye Gambit," Xavier said. If Gambit replied it was too late, Charles had already hung up the phone.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Zack!"

Officer Hozack paused at the bottom of the steps in front of the main entrance to Bayville Police Department. He glanced round to see a solitary pedestrian holding a brown paper bag across the street. Blaze looked tired and pale but still she was impeccably turned out. Her smoky-blue jeans and black strappy top revealed a toned middle. Her make-up was flawless and her hair hung loose almost to her waist. Zack looked each way for traffic and then crossed the street to talk to her.

"Take this for me?" Blaze beseeched him, thrusting the paper bag into Zack's hands.

"What is it?"

"Thirty thou," Blaze admitted, "bail." She didn't need to say any more.

"Blaze, no, he's not worth it. He's going to jail unless Pizzazz! drop the charges, and that's not going to happen."

"Just take it, please," Blaze insisted. "I can't go in there."

"Alright," Zack finally agreed. His hand brushed Blaze's as he took the package from her. "Blaze…"

"Go," Blaze told him. "Please just go..." Zack did as he was told, crossing the street and ascending the steps to the station. Blaze watched him, absently biting her nails. She caught herself and forced her hands into her jeans pockets instead. Her gut felt rotten and she was about to turn and leave when, finally, Gambit appeared.

"Blaze!" he ran across the street, not looking at the traffic. One taxi had to swerve to avoid him but the Cajun didn't care. He darted across to his girlfriend and swept her up into a huge hug. Letting her go, he raved about how wonderful she was, "I knew you'd come t'rough for me, Chere! I jus' knew it! You de best, Cherie, I swear…"

"You rang the Professor," Blaze told him solemnly.

"What?" Gambit suddenly sensed his jubilance at being let out of jail was not shared.

"When you got busted, you rang the Professor, not me."

"I…"

"Not only that," Blaze took one step backwards from Gambit. "You didn't even think about ringing me. Or… Or anything." She took another step away. "Why did you get involved with Pyro and Shrew? They were never in a month of Sundays going to be able to break into Pizzazz!"

"I didn't Laura, I swear."

"Don't lie to me! I'm not a bleedin' judge!"

"I needed the money! To get back to you, to how you wanted t'ings to be!"

Blaze shook her head, "I didn't want this."

"Then what did you want?" Remy found he was getting angry. Who was Blaze to judge him? What did she want from him? Passing motorists were looking at the couple as they drove by. Gambit pretended not to care.

"I wanted you to be honest with me. You should have talked to me, Rem." Blaze was obviously distressed. "Do you think I don't know how hard it is? How much thieving calls to you? I miss it too, miss the buzz, the challenges, the paydays... I would have…"

"Would have what?" Remy snapped. "Would have come with me? Worked with me?"

"Yes!" Blaze exclaimed, and then changed her mind, "No! I don't know, alright? But you didn't ask, didn't even think I might understand what you were going through. How can we even have a relationship when you cut me out like that?"

"What d'you mean?" Gambit asked, but Blaze didn't answer straight away.

"The Professor won't let you come back to the mansion," she told Remy sadly. "He thinks you're a liability. I… I spoke to Wanda, she says you can stay at the Brotherhood house until you find someplace of your own. Logan is moving your stuff in the X-Van right now."

Gambit felt ill. He had never thought for a moment that his actions might jeopardise his life as an X-Man. He thought the Professor would understand. Now he was starting to realise what a fool he'd been. "Blaze, non, please…" Gambit went to take Blaze's hand, but she whipped it away from him. She couldn't meet his eyes.

"It's over Rem, I… I don't want to see you anymore."

Gambit stood shell-shocked as Blaze turned and walked slowly away. Suddenly it just all felt so pointless. He was out of jail, but for what? He'd be heading right back there as soon as the court case came around. And Blaze, had she really only paid his bail money so she could break up with him? Of course she had, Gambit told himself. She had said it herself. It was over.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, nada, zip.

**Scene 11**

Six days later and with nothing better to do, Gambit joined the Brotherhood in the mall. They were mooching around on the upper concourse by the music store, opposite the coffee shop where Gambit had worked. They weren't exactly looking for trouble but Toad seemed to have a knack for finding it. Something across the mall had attracted his attention as he made an excited exclamation.

"Oh yeah! Who is up for some serious X-Man baiting?" Without waiting for an answer, he bounced off. Quicksilver and Blob followed, one more quickly than the other. Gambit sighed and leant on the silver railing at the edge of the concourse. Wanda stood one side and Avalanche the other, watching their teammates head straight for the coffee shop. It was then their target appeared and Gambit felt a sharp pain in his chest.

Blaze wore a red apron and carried a tray of drinks, which she brought to some customers who were sat in what had been Blaze's favourite spot. Handing out the drinks with a smile, she then turned to clear away the empty mugs from a vacated table. That was when Toad and co. arrived. Seating themselves down with a flourish, Toad and Blob started ordering Blaze about. Quicksilver was in and out of the shop, getting under Blaze's feet. Gambit and the others were too far away for them to hear what was being said, but they could hear the Brotherhood's raucous laughter as they mercilessly bullied Blaze.

"What happened?" Gambit asked no one in particular. Wanda and Lance exchanged a look behind Gambit's back. Lance shrugged and tried to explain.

"Kitty told me the Professor wouldn't pay your bail. He wouldn't loan Blaze the cash either. She didn't have that kind of money lying around, so she had to get a job."

"It's more complicated that that," Wanda elaborated. "She needed the money immediately to get you out, so she's taken out a loan. Her car was the deposit and now she's working to pay back the rest."

"She gave up her car?" Gambit was shocked. Blaze loved that little silver convertible. Wanda didn't reply. Gambit watched for a few more moments as Blaze 'accidentally' split Toad's scalding hot coffee into the boy's lap. Burned by the hot liquid and concerned that this may count as a bath, Toad leapt three feet clear in the air. The leap overturned Blob's slice of apple pie with extra everything. The pie hit Blob square in the face, making the other customers laugh out load. That made Blob mad and Quicksilver had to dive in to stop Blob throwing a table across the concourse.

"Where she get the loan from if not the Professor?" Gambit wanted to know. "Blaze not even supposed to be in the country, it's not like she could just walk into a bank…"

"We don't know," Avalanche replied. "Neither do the X-Men. It's causing some…tension back at the Institute."

"We need to go stop those guys," Wanda decided, "before they get us banned from the mall completely." She and Avalanche left Gambit by himself and went to round up the others. Blaze waved them off with her cloth, then slung it over her shoulder and went to clean up the mess they had left.

Friday, thought Gambit. Pay day. If Blaze has my old job she'll finish at six. If she's paying a loan shark, then they will want the cash tonight. His mind was made up. He settled in to wait.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Pay day," Fabio announced, coming into the staff locker room just as Blaze was getting ready to leave. She shut her locker and pulled a black hooded sweater over hear head before turning to her boss. Fabio gave her the brown paper envelope with great ceremony. Blaze managed a weak smile before tucking the wage packet in copious front pocket of her sweater. "You're not even going to see how much there is?" Fabio asked.

"Why?" said Blaze.

"Kid, you're a natural. The customers love you. The tips in there are all your own work."

Blaze shrugged, saying, "I like coffee." Fabio laughed at her explanation, and then asked her if she wanted a ride home. Blaze shook her head resolutely, "I need the exercise, watching my weight. Thanks though. See you tomorrow?"

"Sure Blaze, you have a good night." Blaze didn't reply. Leaving the coffee shop by the front entrance, she took the stairs to ground level and headed on foot across the car park. She took her MP4 player from her pocket and wedged the ear-phones into her ears. A manicured nail turned the music up louder than was strictly necessary. It started to rain. Big black drops of water fell from the heavy clouds, splashing on the asphalt and making the fire elemental shudder. She took hold of her hood with both hands and pulled it over her head, tucking in her long hair. The car park was deserted and the roads emptying fast as the evening rush hour faded away. She could have been all alone in the world.

Gambit followed her at a safe distance. He didn't want her to know he was there. Watching Blaze cross the parking lot he didn't think he had much cause to worry. With her MP4 player on and her hood up, she hunched her shoulders against the rain and marched on, oblivious to the world around her. The hooded sweater seemed to drown the slender girl who wore it. As she passed under a streetlight, Gambit saw why. The sweater had an ace of spades logo sewn in white on the back of the right shoulder. It was his sweater. He must have left it in Blaze's room and now she had claimed it. He couldn't explain why but that made him feel sad.

Blaze didn't walk to the Institute. Instead she went to a crummy part of Bayville, cutting through the deserted streets until she reached a long stretch of wire fence. The fence had a gap cut in it which Blaze prized apart. She slipped through and Gambit momentarily lost sight of her as he wrestled with the fence himself. The Bayville suspension bridge, where once Pyro had delivered a message from Magneto to his daughter Wanda, rose up above him. Underneath the bridge a car waited with its headlights on and engine idling. A figure got out as Blaze approached. Gambit concealed himself nearby to watch.

"Dis would be a whole lot easier on both of us if you'd just accept our offer, Cherie."

"I told you, I don't do that kind of work anymore." Blaze was adamant as she approached the Cajun woman. She had turned off her music and had the unopened wage packet in her hand. "This is the best I can do to pay you back."

"You and I are both gonna be old and grey before you pay us back!" Bella Donna exclaimed, looking distastefully at the envelope's contents. Without thanking Blaze she tossed the envelope and contents into the passenger seat of Blaze's car. "You won't reconsider? One li'l job Blaze, somet'ing I know you are good at, and then that is the last you will see of me."

"No," Blaze shook her head to prove her point. She turned to leave and then glanced back over her shoulder. "You had better take good care of that car."

"Sure," Bella Donna was disinterested at best. "Same time next week then, Amie."

"I'm not your friend," Blaze muttered as she walked away, chin down, not seeing Gambit as she walked right by his hiding place. In the rain and the oncoming darkness Blaze walked away into the night.

Bella had gone back to her car and opened the driver's side door. She was about to climb in when something startled her. She called out, "Blaze? Is dat you?" There was no answer. Dismissing her instincts, Bella turned once more to get into the car. She almost jumped out of her skin to see Gambit, swathed in his trench coat, standing by the passenger side door. Very seriously he asked her one question.

"What's the job?"

Roll credits…...


End file.
